Why perform a soil analysis?
An analysis gives you a good idea of the characteristics of your soil and allows you to make the necessary corrections in order to provide your plants with optimal growing conditions.
When?
- Early spring or in the fall
Information collected during the analysis
- Soil type or texture: clay, sandy or loamy soil;
- The pH of the soil: acidity or alkalinity;
- Nutrient content: P, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, etc.;
- Percentage of organic matter.
How to proceed?
- You can use a trowel to take the soil samples; wash your trowel well before use;
- Gather a few large tablespoons of soil, about 30 cm deep, from different parts of the area you wish to have analyzed (the vegetable garden for example);
- Place the collected soil in a clean bag or container;
- Wearing gloves, remove any stones, pieces of wood, and debris from your sample; do not touch the soil with your hands to avoid contamination, which could distort the results;
- In total, the sample should be about 250 ml (1 cup);
- The results of the analysis will indicate the amendments required and the fertilizers to be added to your garden.